The 38th Annual Ag Arama brought people to the University Teaching and Outreach Center (UTOC) at the University of Minnesota, Crookston on Saturday, Jan. 26 to watch the competition.

Highlights of the day included crowning the Ag Arama Royalty and announcing the True Grit Award recipient. Royalty included King Ben Wuebkers, a senior animal science major from Freeport, Minn.; Queen Victoria Martin, a senior animal science major from Worland, Wyo.; Prince Brady Breitenfeldt, a sophomore animal science major from Frazee, Minn.; and Princess Olivia Fischer, a sophomore animal science major from Kimball, Minn.

Candidates were nominated by the faculty for Ag Arama royalty. The students must write an essay and turn in their resume, as well as go through an interview process. Students also vote for their choices and each of these criteria helps determine the winners.

Matthew Green, a senior from Greenbush, Minnesota, triple majoring in agricultural systems management, agronomy, and agricultural business, won the True Grit Award -- the highest honor given out at Ag-Arama.

The True Grit Award is dedicated to the memory of Todd Opsahl a UMC student in 1973-74. Opsahl was extremely active in campus activities especially in the Ag Division where he studied animal science. Todd’s life was cut short by leukemia. In his remembrance, the True Grit award is presented to the student who best demonstrates Todd Opsahl’s active participation and encouragement of others.

The day is filled with contests in agronomy, animal science, horticulture, and natural resources. These contests serve as an opportunity for students in agriculture and natural resources degree programs to showcase their knowledge and skills and have a chance to interact with alumni and faculty members. Ag-Arama is hosted by students in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department.

This year’s Ag Arama was dedicated to the memory of Kent Freberg, a long time instructor in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department. Each year, students and faculty in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department dedicate Ag Arama to someone who has been influential in agriculture at the U of M, Crookston.